Pathways to adult depression from childhood aggression and withdrawal

Abstract

Structural equation modeling was used to examine pathways from aggression and social withdrawal in childhood to depression and to externalizing and internalizing behaviours in adulthood. It was hypothesized that children's aggression and withdrawal are influenced by early family environment and create enduring negative person/environment relations which lead to an increased risk of early depression and stress over time. Stress and previous depressive episodes, in turn, increase the risk of adult depression. It was further hypothesized that aggression and withdrawal in childhood are related to externalizing and internalizing behaviours in adulthood, which are also related to adult depression. The sample was drawn from the Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project and comprised 146 participants. Peer ratings of aggression and withdrawal were collected when participants were in grades 1,4 or 7 in 1978. Assessments of adolescent depression, negative life experiences, adult depression and adult aggression and withdrawal were made over a period spanning 23 years. Findings showed that negative family environment was related to aggression but not to withdrawal in childhood. A direct path led from childhood aggression to adult depression, whereas the pathway from childhood withdrawal to adult depression was mediated by adolescent depression and negative life experiences. Childhood aggression and adult externalizing behaviour were not related, but childhood and adult withdrawal were linked via adolescent depression and negative life experiences. Adult depression and adult aggression and withdrawal were unrelated. The implications of these findings are discussed, particularly the idea that contrasting behaviour styles in childhood can lead to similar clinical outcomes in adulthood.